DCF Files Suit against Army ; Suit: 'The Army's Actions Are Illegal'

DCF Files Suit against Army ; Suit: 'The Army's Actions Are Illegal'

Article excerpt

The Kansas Department for Children and Families has filed a
federal lawsuit against the U.S. Army, alleging the military is
about to shut out the agency from providing cafeteria services at
Fort Riley -- a contract worth more than $1 million.

The lawsuit, quietly filed earlier this week, accuses the Army of
seeking to recategorize its food preparation contract at the Kansas
military facility in a way that will keep the state of Kansas out of
the bidding process. The state itself doesn't run Fort Riley's
cafeteria services, but uses a vendor.

The lawsuit says the state has been awarded the Fort Riley
contract since 2006 and that its bids have been competitive. But,
the lawsuit says, the Army wants to add the facility's cafeteria
services to a procurement list, which would remove the services from
public bidding.

DCF spokeswoman Theresa Freed said the state doesn't make a
profit from the contract.

"The State has filed this lawsuit to maintain the right of first
refusal for licensed blind entrepreneurs to operate food and vending
service businesses in federal facilities in the State of Kansas,"
Freed said in an email.

Once the cafeteria services are added to the list, Fort Riley
would be required to purchase the services from a supplier
designated by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission, which aims to provide
employment to blind individuals and those with disabilities. DCF in
the lawsuit says the state can't be on the list.

"The successful performance of the current contract by Kansas
through its licensed blind vendor demonstrates that a licensed blind
vendor can provide the required cafeteria operations services at
Fort Riley at a comparable price and comparable high quality when
compared to other providers of such services," DCF argues in the
lawsuit.

A primary source is a work that is being studied, or that provides first-hand or direct evidence on a topic. Common types of primary sources include works of literature, historical documents, original philosophical writings, and religious texts.